Free Blog Weekend: No, the 2015 season isn’t over for Astros

So if the playoffs began today, the Astros would indeed back in. But those playoffs are still a couple of weeks away and those 15 games will determine what type of team Jeff Luhnow has assembled and just how much magic that A.J. Hinch really has in that thar brain.

In reality, the first 147 games didn’t matter a bit, other than to position the organization for this time. These are the games (plus the last four) that fans will remember come October and spring training.

Houston has an eight-game home stand that begins tonight and the team will probably need a 6-2 run in that stretch to get back in the fight for the division title. That would include a sweep of the Rangers next week.

For a team than has spent 139 days in first place and now trails by its largest margin of the season, morale is likely at a low point as well. Hinch’s job to prepare the team for this weekend is perhaps his most important job since spring training. Does he alter his lineup? Does he call a pre-game meeting to drill home the importance? Does he pull aside younger players and encourage them?

Probably not. At this point, it is what it is. At this level, players should be able to motivate and prepare themselves for the most part.

But let’s make no bones about it. If the Astros don’t make the playoffs, the season is a success. Huge success. Tremendous strides forward.

Yes, there are questions, head scratchers and bumbles along the way, but a success nonetheless. Here are a few.

  • Houston now has a shortstop, perhaps Rookie of the Year.
  • The rotation is one of the best in baseball and Luhnow could lock up a couple of those guys this winter.
  • The bullpen has been steady…all season.
  • Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh are no one-season flukes.
  • Will Harris is the real deal. Add Tony Sipp to that list.
  • Correa. Vincent Velasquez. Lance McCullers Jr. Preston Tucker.
  • Marwin Gonzalez. Again.
  • The farm system. Again.

Can you add to the list? And since it’s Free Blog Weekend, let the festivities begin!

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136 responses to “Free Blog Weekend: No, the 2015 season isn’t over for Astros”

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  1. Just a minor correction…This homestand is a 9-gamer. I think the division is, for the most part, gone, but I still think they look good for the wild card. They need to get it corrected against Oakland this weekend. If they lose this series the season could completely unravel.

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  2. The problem is that they both need to maintain the level of winning we had this year AND improve on it next year. For that we will get (hopefully):
    – 150+ games of Correa
    – 150+ games of Springer
    – More LMJ

    …but there are big question marks…especially based on the last 20 games:
    – Can bullpen show first half home? Which guys get cut for financial reasons?
    – Can we get a 1B that gives 20 HR and 50 RBI that doesn’t K at a 30% rate?
    – JFSF…is he going to play like a late night lifeline or more like Beldar?
    – Colby Rasmus – we expect he walks. Can Tucker replicate the production? Would he even get a shot?
    – Valbuena is arb eligible and expensive. The team didn’t want to pay Marwin last winter. I assume they keep Marwin as the super sub and put Lowrie at 3B

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  3. I think its irrelevant if Lunschmuck is the GM. Lets thank him for getting Crane to understand building the farm system was the number 1 priority. Then lets look at all the idiotic trades he has made and the ones he should have made. A broken clock is right twice a day so I will give him Kuddos on Harris and McHugh.

    Thanks Jeff See ya. NEXT

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    • He was also right on the Jarred Cosart trade. The only trade that has proven to be a failure is the Conger trade. There is no way to sugarcoat that one as he missed. The other trades have not shaken out one way or the other. He also got Sipp as a castaway from another organization.

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      • The Conger trade is definitely a bust but most of the others look suspect to me.
        I’m just not sure if JL doesn’t negotiate well or if Crane won’t fork over the $$

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      • I think the Fowler trade to the Cubs doesn’t look great, but remember he traded for Fowler the year before and the players that went to Colorado have done nothing to help them. Fowler will be a free agent this year and there may be more to it as to why he was traded. Last year he played CF exclusively even though Springer and Marisnick were both better defensively. Why? Did he demand to play CF and, if so, wouldn’t this be reason to trade him? Furthermore, Straily looked awesome in game 2 of the PCL Championship series so I’m not declaring that a loss either. Gattis has been blah as a DH, but, so far, Folty has been a disaster in Atlanta and Ruiz had a terrible year in AA.

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      • A wise man (not me) has posted several times here that when you look at trades, you need to expand them over a few years. I can not fault Luhnow on the Fowler trade. He had an extra outfielder and needed a 3B. Now in the stats, there is no way to think Valbuena was a good hitter. But an improvement over Matty D is obvious. As to Conger, that trade only makes sense (if then) that he had a trade on the table to move Castro and get a Lucroy, Posey, or Russell Martin type. If there was no secondary trade, he traded a sure fire backup at best for a “potential” starter at catcher. Unless he trades Conger for Posey, not gonna ever make that one a good trade. This to me is where stats and saber metrics may let you down. It takes a good scout to see a player and say “If he quits doing this” or “He starts doing this” he can contribute. I firmly believe that Strom has that ability.

        Finally, this is not banging on JL because he had to do what he had to do. He hit on Sipp, McHugh, Harris, etc. But look at his entire summary (available at http://www.baseball-reference.com) for his entire time and he has missed on a ton of waiver wires. They are dirt cheap and well worth a gamble, and you get first pick when you are in the cellar. But his misses way exceed his hits. Again, he had to try.

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  4. Speaking of locking up guys, I wonder what happened to locking up Keuchel.
    He said ( publicly) he wants to stay here, surely the Astros want him. Yet, nothing said about it for weeks?

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    • Sandy…I would assume they will start those talks as soon as the season us over. What will REALLY make a difference is if Keuchel wins the AL Cy Young award. That alone pumps up Keuchel’s side of it. I think they will settle on a 3-4 year deal for $30-40 million. McHugh will get a similar deal, but for less money. What will be interesting is if they make a move to keep Kazmir.

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  5. Chip, I don’t mean this to be anything but POSITIVE. 1. We learned that Carter is not the solution at 1B if you need a hitter. 2. We learned that due to injuries on every team, your super sub may play in over 100 games (MarGo 109 this year to date), 3. We learned that like a football team with 2 starting QBs, you have no starting QB. Each position player needs to establish himself there and start 100 or more games there. The extensive use of different line-ups this year means we have no set line-up. 4. We learned that our rookie pitcher has to have 4 strikes to get out a veteran MLB batter. 5. We learned that you need two (2) defensive catchers. Hitting is a plus. Defense is a necessity. 6. We learned we either need a hitting coach or a change in the way that the stats are given to the batters. We learned that swinging from the heels works at times, but many times leaves runners on base when a SF or infield ground out would have scored the run. 7. We learned that extensive shifts work only part time on good hitters, especially with runners on base. 8. We learned that Altuve will not take a walk. His contact rate of 90% means that he had only 34 ABs with 3-2 count out of 573. 9. We learned that our DH using advanced metrics is no better than a AAA player. 10. And finally we learned that all the flexibility we all thought we had in ST turned out to not be true, especially with the injuries.

    So does the FO take what they learned and use it or ignore it? We will learn that this Winter.

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  6. I’m not so crazy about the Gomez trade either. Maybe I’m wrong but his hot headed demeanor does not fit in with the Astros’ way of playing the game. He has not figured into helping us at all in the last month plus of the season. If you want to see evidence of attitude look at baseball brawls on Youtube. He’s the focus of about three of them. I like his energy buy the temper overrides the benefits thereof.
    Looking at next year who is going to play CF and LF. We need somebody with speed and an ability to get on base and can hit at least .280. Who might that be? Can Jimmy Wynn come out of retirement?

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    • I wouldn’t give up on Gomez. He is a multiple All-Star with exceptional defense in CF and very capable of hitting .280+. Before his injury he was our hottest hitter. He struggled early, as many players do after being traded to a new team (case in point is Troy Tulowitzki with Toronto). I think an OF of Gomez, Springer and maybe Kemp or a free agent would be good. I still like Marisnick as a 4th OFer who can spot start against LH pitching. I would like to see Tucker as part of a platoon at DH. I am fine keeping Gattis considering his salary, but I don’t want him being an everyday DH.

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  7. My biggest issues with Lumschmuk his inability to man up and say I made a mistake and we need to fix it. Carter Conger Gattis Fowler ( and I’m no fowler fan) to me all C–F trades, not so much what we gave up , but who we traded for, nothing better out there at the time. I happen to like Gomez, but I’m afraid in a couple a years we may be going OUCH on that one. Cosart trade Jury out to me.

    Only a screwed up ego keeps running out Conger Val nobuena, villar, carter etc.

    We all have made mistakes in life and business, you have to admit and move on. Lunschmuck was hell bent on hoping he could save face by catching some lighting in a bottle with all these B and C players. He played his card it sucked and didn’t work,. In business there is a price ones pays for that.

    SEE YA

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      • Cosart has given up 3 runs over 15 innings in the three starts since coming back. He’s still not getting deep enough…but we’ll see what happens.

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      • Vertigo is a significant illness. With that trade, we might not know the answer for a few years. But indeed, Cosart would not have been any help to us this year.

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    • It didn’t suck. We are currently in the playoffs if the season ended today. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, thought the Astros would even be in contention this year. Let’s not over react because a young team is struggling under the pressure of a pennant race. They aren’t the first and they won’t be the last. I think if it had been any other team besides the Rangers sweeping us the reaction shouldn’t be as extreme. Yes, we wouldn’t be happy, but I think most of us would realize what it is, which is a young team learning how to win.

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  8. The season is not over….but the ER doctor is on standby to give CPR to a club that’s clearly on their last breath. We have lived and died by the long ball all season, and absolutely refuse to use small ball. How do you think the Giants won the WS against the best AL team? They bunted, they did sacrifice bunt hits, they plated SMALL BALL. Altuve is killing us when he comes up with men on. He will NOT take a pitch. Rally killed, time and time again. And Altuve is not the only one….the list goes on.
    This home stand is ESSENTIAL if they want to get back in it. The A’s are going to try and play spoiler, and just because they are out of it, they still have a loaded gun named Sonny Grey. He knows exactly what this team will swing at. I don’t know Chip….these guys are in jeopardy of sitting on the couch during the playoffs. I’m usually a glass half full girl, but the way this team has played the last two weeks, makes me more of a daveb cynic.

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  9. Free Blog Thoughts

    – Meetings – I kind of lean towards wanting player called meetings instead of manager called meetings, but it gets a little touchy with this team. Guys like Biggio and Bagwell – everydays with seniority are the ones you usually see call these type meetings. The more senior guys like Kazmir, Valbuena, Gomez, Feldman, Gregerson, Rasmus or Lowrie are either hurt, or do not have that much seniority with the team or are not everydays. Guys like Springer and Correa and LMJ are so young. Maybe a Keuchel? But he is a pitcher. Maybe Altuve? But does language hold that up a bit? Maybe Correa will do what he has always done and ignore his age and his short time in the majors and call one….
    – Home vs. Away – Hard to believe that they were playing so well on the road when building their lead up. Now they are a disaster – total disaster on the road. Since late May when they were 15-7 at one point they have been 14-39 on the road. I don’t care how good you are at home, that is hard to overcome.
    – Choking a little or just plain tired – They have been riding that very good pitching for a while and the tread is starting to show. Is it too much pressure to keep them in games that the offense never gets off to a good start on or too many cumulative innings or pitching in a pennant race for the first time?
    – So, are the same folks who rightly judge McHugh, Sipp, Harris worthy of a freebie pickup the same ones who say that Gomez, Conger, Gattis are worthy of sending assest for? It hits me as strange to say the least.
    – I keep wondering – why was it OK to call up very young and inexperienced McCullers with only a few innings of AA ball and not OK to bring up guys to play the much simpler position of 1B.

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    • The Mets were willing to give up a top level pitcher in Wheeler for Gomez. I really don’t understand why everyone thinks Gomez is not worthy off top prospects? He is a great player with a proven track record. What did we really give up for Conger and Gattis? Not much, but I would undo the Conger trade, if I could. He just isn’t a good catcher. I don’t think the Braves got anything of value for Gattis.

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    • Tim – I’m not saying any of these are total killers, but I keep wondering about the “why” and “why not” of a lot of his trades.
      – Why – when we had Corporan and Stassi and Heinemann and Carlos Perez, did we give up Perez and a pitcher (Tropeano) to get another backup catcher.
      – Why – when we have a number of mlb level OFs, including 3 that can play all three positions (Rasmus, Marisnick, Springer) did we have to package some fairly highly thought of prospects to get Gomez and Fiers. I’m not saying they are not decent or better players, but we sure had bigger needs at 1B and DH in my opinion.
      – Why not – go and get a Carter replacement instead at the deadline

      Luhnow makes trade moves that don’t make the most sense sometimes. That is all I am concerned about.

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      • I agree with you on Conger. That trade made little sense at the time and even less sense now. Conger is horrible and no one will dispute it. The Gomez trade, for me, made some sense due to the Springer injury at the time. It would have made more sense if Luhnow also addressed the 1st base issue either via trade or calling up White or Reed.

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      • We are obviously dealing with assumptions, but I think the answer on allthe scenarios you posed but Gomez is $$$. Why not upgrade 1B? You have to get rid of Carter’s contract to get Crane approval. Why trade for Conger? You planned to trade your arbitration escalated salaried catcher and thought indications were Conger could be an MLB starter. Need I go on?

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  10. One of the A’s pitching prospects was shot in the head in a drive by shooting last night, in Yonkers New York. He is a 6’7 RHP who is currently on the restricted list. He is in critical condition, but breathing on his own. WOW!! Just goes to show you are never really safe anymore. The shooting was in a hamburger parking lot. His name is Mike Nolan. Such a tragedy.

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  11. Overall this team has overachieved and overproduced beyond what anyone expected at the start of the season. Our youth is the stumbling block as our big time run producers are first or second year players. Will Springer, Tucker and Correa be to the Astros what Fielder, Beltre and Moreland/Choo are to the Rangers or Trout, Pujols, Calhoon/Freese/Cron are to the Angels? In time I think yes but right now the only real big time producer on the team is Altuve and he’s more of a table setter. Kemp is a table setter type also and I’m not sure we should use a corner outfield spot for that kind of player. Kemp leading off and Altuve hitting second could be pretty interesting IF we can get guys other than Correa to drive in runs consistently with other means than hitting the ball out of the park.

    While I’m not a fan of the Conger trade and think he has been a net negative, Lunhow’s other trades were not a big deal. His FA acquisitions though have to be rated big successes. Getting Gomez and Fiers was the first trade he has pulled off for front line starter type players. Gomez and Fiers are proven commodities whereas Santana, Phillips and Hader are great prospects. I’m OK with that kind of transaction. That’s one reason to stockpile prospects in the first place.

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  12. I tend to look less at the individual trades and more at the overall outcome. Let’s face it, our club has not handled the stretch run very well. Youth, sure. Certainly a factor. Managerial decisions? To a degree. But the GM is the guy who gets the credit for the product put on the field. I also hold him most accountable for that product too. And the body of what he’s given us this summer has helped send this team in the wrong direction. His decisions. I hold him accountable.

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  13. And going forward, I want this club to be more athletic. Carter, Gattis, Conger, Valbuena all one dimensional guys. And when they don’t hit, they are of little value, in fact even a detriment to a 25 man roster. We’ve been handcuffed by these guys.

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    • I think next year we are really going to appreciate Gomez. He will come to spring training comfortable with his teammates and I believe he will have a very good year. My neighbor is a big Brewers fan (they are from WI) and he said Gomez struggled with them when they first acquired him, but once he felt comfortable he really started producing and became a fan favorite. We were already starting to see a turnaround right before he got injured. Give him time.

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    • We’ll find out. Heck, we might still be discussing the merits of this trade long after Gomez has left us, which could well be as early as mid next year. Fiers and Santana remain the wild cards.

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  15. Carter is starting at 1B tonight with a LH on the mound. I am assuming they want to give MarGo more time off. The OF is Rasmus, Marisnick and Springer. Castro is behind the dish.

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      • Carter starting? That sound you just heard was Singleton weeping. or sparking up, who knows.

        At least Conger isn’t starting!

        FREE MAX STASSI

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    • File this under “you bought your dress, so might as well go to the dance.” Rasmus needs to play (Tucker sits) because you don’t use a player making 1/16th of the others salary, and bench the money guy. Face it, Rasmus is a better fielder. Tucker a better hitter. Both are left handed hitting and gloves. Both are heady players but no threat to steal. They are interchangeable. That is a good defensive outfield but not a batting threat over the entire season.

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  16. Anyone other than me think Castro wasn’t really ready to come off DL? I mean really he leaves te game yesterday and the Rangers steal three bases, and score on a wild pitch. Conger either needs glasses, or his arm is shot, but next year, I don’t want to see that guy, or Kris Karter on this team. The only reason either one if them are still here, is Luhnow smply can NOT own up to his own mistake of trading for Conger, or keeping Cater hoping to catch fire. The reason A. J. Reed wasn’t brought up was yeah the money, and the rule 5 thing, but he came to spring tainting grossly over weight, and his stats against LHP was pretty poor. He was told to get in shape before he comes to spring training next year if he wants to continue to move up. Remember he was drafted the same month he got outta college last year……..beer bellies anyone? But there was NO excuse for not bringing Tyler White up. Rule five or not. Jim Crane said at the start of the season he fully expected this team to be in the playoffs this year…..anything less would not be accepted. So, do you think it might cost Luhnow his job if they dont? Just throwing this in here….the Astros are 14-39 on the road, and 40-15 at home. Makes my headache.

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    • Becky – I’m just spit-balling here, but after Mr. Reed put up .340 BA / .432 OBP / 1.044 OPS with 34 HR and 127 RBIs – I want all my hit or miss hitters spending the off-season at whatever keg parties he goes to….

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    • I think the same thing Becky re: Castro.
      We have a perfectly good , healthy, IN SHAPE guy at C, willing and able to play, but our FO doesn’t like him for some reason.

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  18. This is a post from a Rangers fan I read today. Pretty sad when the competition starts to give advice.

    The Astros are trying to do too much. They need to narrow the focus on what they can control – and not the final score. Do what they’ve done all year and results will follow. Still a game and a half up in the wild card and in the division race.

    The playoff race should sharpen your focus but the AB or pitch is the same as always. Focus on having good ABs or making the pitches you need to make to the lineup and playing good defense and the results follow – that’s all you can do.

    The manager mix it up a little. I thought he should have started Springer and Correa with 1 out and Rasmus in 3-2 count last night because of all the DPs. Maybe it’s a strike’em out throw’em out or still a DP lineout DP, but if you’re repeatedly hitting into DP’s, try to something to change things.

    Better ABs, good defense, and better pitch location and let chips fall where they may.

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  19. I haven’t given up on Gomez. I have him penciled in at CF next year. I think his volatile personality will blend in better next year when he feels more comfortable.
    Springer in right.
    Kemp, Marisnick and Preston Tucker sharing outfield duties.
    Tucker, White, Duffy and Marwin, Jed share DH
    White, Duffy, Marwin and Singleton fighting it out at 1b. One is going to be back in Fresno. Duffy and Jed fighting it out at 3B.
    Castro and Stassi at Catcher
    Correa and Altuve up the middle with Lowrie and Marwin as backups.
    Anyone I didn’t mention would not on my 25 man.
    Those position players have only two guys that appear to be high strikeout guys, based on their major league careers so far and they are both very young, Singleton and Marisnick.
    I would expect the team batting average of these guys to be near .260 and to hit 150 home runs. I would expect them to be near the top of the league in doubles and in the top 5 or six teams in OBP. I would expect that team to lead the league in stolen bases and be a top 5 defensive club and be one of the lowest payrolls in the AL. I think they would be a playoff contender for sure.
    I think Moran and Reed will be ready by the end of the year to be called up and I think Aplin will be ready whenever he is needed.

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  20. Evan Grant, writer who covers the Rangers for Fox, point out today that the removal of Castro from last night’s game for a pinch runner was the turning point move in that game and he says that Hinch made a mistake.
    Grant points out that of the 35 major league catchers who have caught at least 500 innings this year, Fangraphs rates his defense at #35. The worst rated defensive catcher in baseball.
    Grant says the Rangers were well aware of that and jumped all over the opportunity Hinch provided them.

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  25. I have a question while we’re being entertained tonight. What do we do with 6 starting pitchers next year and a couple in the wings?

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    • Lowest wins above replacement player on the team. Many just see the homers, and forget the innumerable times he has done what he did tonight in the first at bat. Strikes out with a runner on second and two outs to end a first inning rally that barely got started. Walks as often as Matty D and is a DH who can’t play any position. The most overrated player on the team!

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    • Have to agree on Gattis. He’s one dimensional. Therefore he’s outlived his usefulness. And yes he’s a good teammate and nice guy but remember what Leo Deroucher said about nice guys.

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  28. I’m watching the Astros and checking on the Rangers. I really believe if Castro, Lowrie,and Margo had been healthy that series would’ve had a different outcome.
    Using Duffy and Stassi probably would have made a difference too.

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  32. You know, the Astros’ struggles didn’t start on the road. Their last home stand they were only 3-3 against the Mariners and the Twins. They have been pretty lousy all month.

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    • They sure looked pumped up in that ninth inning didn’t they. Against a kid who never had a save in the majors. It’s time for:
      Bob Seger-The Famous Final Scene
      The perfect song for the Astros finish.

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  38. It’s kinda like the season in reverse. I expected this at the beginning and maybe getting better at the end to get around 500.

    At least Seattle shut up the Ranger fans.

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    • Yeah, that’s a good idea. What’s Tucker had since he homered to ignite the last Astros victory, five or six at bats? Now, Gattis has had at bats every day this week. That was a great effort he gave in the ninth.
      I think Neshek is the boob tonight.
      It was a team effort tonight.

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  41. On a more serious note, I must not see the games as others. To me, and just talking about this month, every team we have faced have better hitters up and down the line up. Oakland players put the bat on the ball. Correa hit 3 on the nose. But overall – we do not have a line up that makes contact on a consistent basis. Until that is corrected or improved, this will cause a bunch more losses. You can not expect the pitchers to keep the other team much below 4 runs on a consistent basis. The pitching, even with the home runs that hurt, is not the issue. And it is impossible to get a hit without contact with the bat.

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    • But you could see all of this in the first week of April:
      *Nobody in NY could stand the guy we hired as hitting coach.
      *Our bullpen averaged 5 MPH less than other bullpens.
      *We knew we had high strikeout, low BA hitters
      *We knew we were weak in the back end of our rotation
      *We knew we didn’t have a decent 1B.
      *We knew Altuve and Gattis didn’t walk, but they continue to sit up in the top of the lineup and our minor leaguers who do hit and walk don’t get promoted. When our minor leaguers do get called up, they sit and watch guys hitting .200 get all the at bats.
      Honestly, if it weren’t for Altuve and Marisnick hitting out of their heads in April, this team would have been at or below .500 for the entire season. When those two went cold this team was exactly what everyone thought it was.

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  44. I know this will disappoint RJ, but the loss tonight tells me the WC is not happening this year. I don’t see a leader on this team right now. Correa will eventually be one. Did you see the look in Springer’s eyes on his last at bat? You can tell he is pressing. Altuve strikes out on a pitch a foot above his head. The entire team is feeling the pressure and no one wants to take charge. I have decided to not even watch the game tomorrow night and spend some quality time with my beautiful bride. I can’t take the frustration. Maybe they will finally win if I don’t watch, but with Gray pitching it’s going to be tough.

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    • As I watched the last game that the Astros had against the Rangers, I observed, and this was noticed by my fine, baseball loving wife, in the bottom of the eighth, a hit to Springer in right. As he threw the ball back in, we both noticed his body language spoke volumes!!! He is feeling defeated now and I am sure many of the others are as well. Baseball is not fun for them about now…

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  45. I want to repost my comment about the make up of the 2016 team. Any one may answer.

    Question – not an argument. Where is Heineman? Does he need another year at AAA? The reason I ask is there has to be a reason (especially in blow outs) why Stassi sits. Stassi had a terrible season hitting at Fresno. Yet he was called up for nothing unless Gattis is really not an emergency catcher. Stassi hit .211 in AAA which puts him near the Valbuena/Carter line. (Insert below “the Mendoza Line” which is .215)

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    • A Heineman does not fit the current team profile. He is a singles hitter with a decent BA who walks a lot and doesn’t strike out a lot. He hits a lot better from the left side.
      From my observations, he is strong at throwing out runners but still weak at receiving. He complements a strong RH hitting catcher at AAA but still seems a year away from the majors physically.
      I would try to keep Castro and match him and Stassi next season.

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  48. 1OP made the point above. Take away the quick start and this team is exactly where most of us followers thought it would be for 2015. Back in March, we kicked around the issues with Gattis and Carter and wondered about why the Conger trade and if Valbuena had enough of a pedigree to hit, and what losing Fowler at the top of the order might mean. We talked about needing at least a .700 OPS from Jake. We all knew we had a thin bench and injuries might play a big role. And we talked and talked about strikeouts and having too many similar, all or nothing guys on the roster. And of course we all wondered about the huge question mark at first base. And we agreed that our pitching would be pretty good. As it’s turned out, our arms kept us in the hunt, but even now it’s apparent that our pen is pretty much used up.

    If you watch a team enough, and you’ve spent your life trying to understand the game of baseball, it’s not really rocket science. Most of us here did a pretty good job at forecasting this season.

    I think most GM’s in MLB, if handed the same treasure chest of draft picks, would have put together a pretty good farm system by now too. Luhnow has had some great moments, but I’m not going to anoint him. He’s had some misses too. And what kind of relationships has he built with our stars of the future? Will they stick around? In the meantime, we still have a really mangled line up. We’ve got four of those all or nothing guys that really have no business on a quality team. Luhnow should have gotten us further along by now. Someone else said it above. Oakland had a better group of athletes on the field last night. I don’t know what their second half record is compared to ours, but I’d guess it’s not worse. They seem to have our number anyway.

    I still don’t see a real plan. Too many moves have been made that just have not made sense, not for then and not for the future.

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  49. At the end of April the Astros were 15-7 or 8 games over .500.
    Today we are 77-71 or 6 games over .500.
    So, for the months of May through September we are a team who is two games below .500.
    In April, Marisnick hit .379. For his career he is a .233 hitter and he has a .239 BA for 2015.
    In April, Altuve hit .367. For his career he is a .304 hitter and he is currently at .311
    In April, Lowrie hit .300. For his career he is a .254 hitter and he is now at .236.
    Three players hitting totally out of their heads propelled us to a 15-7 record.
    Then they went back to their normal selves and we have been a below .500 team since.
    The whole thing was a mirage.

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    • We are 4-12 in September playing a lot of games against teams we beat in April. It’s our first losing month of the year. I’m assuming the team does not win 10 of their remaining 11 games to prevent that.

      I agree with daveb…we’re pretty smart. The thing is, a lot our of suggestions were nonsensical. I’m including TCB commenter as well in this for lack of fine grained memory, but Michael Morse and Adam LaRoche would not have been better than Carter, but would have cost 3 times the salary. Kyle Lohse or Matt Garza would have left town rich, but with ERAs in the 7.00+ range, probably.

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